Hi everyone, we are a new sponsor of CharlestonFishing and I would like to give a little introduction to our business and what we are all about.
If you have been around the site for a while you will probably know of me (Optiker). I started inshore fishing the salt in 2006 and like probably most of you on this site I was ‘hooked hard’. Through reading (this site, mostly) and trial and error I eventually got to where I could catch a few on most trips with an occasional skunk and was generally stuck on a plateau.
In 2011 I got involved with Summerville Saltwater Anglers and had the good fortune to meet the club’s founder: Ralph Phillips. You may or may not know Ralph, maybe you have been to one of his awesome seminars, maybe you got schooled by him in a tournament [:0] but he is one of our area’s legendary fisherman (inshore and offshore), not to mention one of most generous and friendly people you will ever meet. He’s one of those people that has probably forgotten more about fishing than most of us will ever know.
I’m still not really sure how it happened but he took me under his wing and has taught me how to really fish from his 40+ years experience. Maybe he saw my willingness to learn and listen and apply what he was saying. A couple years ago I decided to only fish artificial baits and work on my feel and apply what he was teaching, and I have gained a lot of confidence mostly in my ability to find fish, but also to problem solve my way into catching them. I think that this perspective is valuable, because I can relate to the average weekend warrior who wants to improve but is stuck on that same plateau, and I can provide insight that will help them.
We have founded a company called Ralph Phillips Inshore Productions, and our Mission is ‘To improve the skills of inshore fishermen, using the principles of Ralph Phillips more than 40 years of fishing experience.’ This is manifested in a handful of products, both immediately available and in the works.
Short answer is this was the beginning of all the fishing instruction on YouTube offered for free. I didn’t see a future for this business model, although people could learn a lot from Ralph about fishing and life, like I have. A lot of what he taught me is now in the public domain.
One day while fishing together the idea of a big eyed jig head was brought up and I decided to try to make one - and the rest is history, thanks to Haddrell’s Point for being our first customer, and to Z-Man for making us a world wide product almost overnight.
I remember seeing some the videos. Andy had me in the band, but I was still listening in*
When you do a search on something here on CF a ton of other near or non related stuff pops up below your search. That one was buried, but it caught my eye because, like I said, I remember seeing some of those videos.
I’m not sure but I think Bob Sanders told me about them, but don’t hold me to that as there are some self induced fuzzy gaps in some of those memories from back then, lol.
You done good so far, you should be proud. Most folks I know who’ve tried to make a living fishing went broke after a couple divorces, so there’s that.
I haven’t watched that video in probably 10 years. Lots of good memories. Some of those kids are now in their 20s. Love seeing the infamous “baby Scout” what a great boat that was. Now owned by his son Les who you can see in that kingfish article.
And I want some of those jig heads!